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What on Earth: Top Stories of 2011

The World Meteorological Organization (WHO) and PAGASA indeed warned us about La Nina and harsher weather conditions this year. In December 2010, the tail-end of the cold front triggered heavy rains and flooding. The severe weather extended throughout the year with typhoon Sendong devastating parts of Northern Mindanao and Visayas.

Geckos weighing at least 500 grams would fetch up to P100,000 to P300,000 in the black market and buyers are mostly foreigners. These nocturnal lizards are reportedly exported to Malaysia, China and South Korea, where they are used as aphrodisiacs and as traditional for asthma, cancer, tuberculosis and impotence.

If you want to start an organic garden in the comfort of your backyard or home, this story is a must-read. This article by Rachel Yapchiongco provided a step-by-step guide, how-to videos on how to put up an organic garden. Gil Carandang, known in the agricultural community as the “Father of Philippine Natural and Organic Farming” also gave first hand tips and advise for those who want to go the organic way.

This story highlights the importance of recycling and reuse of discarded plastic. It features MyShelter Foundation’s Plastic School Project in San Pablo, Laguna, a plastic bottle school built from materials that do not damage or deplete natural resources. A similar project in Ghana has Johannes Thomas Arthur turning plastic bottles into furniture for his room. The article also features a small Japanese company named Blest invented a machine that could effectively convert discarded plastic items into oil.

Last June, the United Nationsl Human Rights Council declared that the internet access is a basic human right.

Based on the article by Miraluna Tacadao, Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue underscored “the unique and transformative nature of the Internet not only to enable individuals to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, but also a range of other human rights, and to promote the progress of society as a whole.”

The campaign against black coral trading led to the formation to the Save the Philippine Seas movement that started an online advocacy to raise public awareness about illegal harvesting and peddling of the country’s coral reefs.